Reminders of the Past
by j3swimmer
Summary: Sequel to my story, The Heart of the Prince. How others react to the scars Merlin received from Uther and Edmund. Slightly angsty start with cute ending! Merthur fic with some violence.
1. Chapter 1: Cavalan

**Hello dear readers! This is the two-shot (kinda more two one-shot) sequel to my story The Heart of the Prince. If you haven't read that it might not make total sense. Many thanks to cristina reid who inspired this story. A few warnings, I decided to keep this rated T, even though there is some nudity. I thought it didn't deserve a M as it was only someone bathing and didn't really go further than that. I hope I don't offend anyone.**

**Again, this fic will have some violence. I might like Merlin whump a little too much.**

**Also, this is a Merthur fic. If you don't like that, don't read it.**

**Besides that, thank you so much to everyone who read Heart of the Prince. I didn't get to say thanks for all the stuff that happened after the epilogue, but it was quite amazing. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy the sequel!**

**Cavalan is a place I made up. The name apparently is often used in legends in place of Camelot. That has nothing to do with this story, I just thought it was a cool name and decided to use it.**

**I don't own Merlin. Just the dvds.**

Cavalan

Cavalan was the second city Merlin and Arthur settled near after their stay by the sea. It had seemed a good place to stay, far enough away from the newly expanded Camelot that they would not have to worry about Uther's men, and close to a larger town that they could go to purchase rare supplies and get information that would not be available in the small village. They built their home close to the river that wound through the town, a little ways away from the main settlement. The people of the town had seemed like good people, mostly avoiding the newly arrived pair and minding their own business. Arthur and Merlin were happy here, making a new home they hoped to remain in for some time.

Unfortunately, the some of the townspeople were not as kind as Arthur and Merlin had thought them to be. And Merlin was going to have to learn this the hard way.

There was a lake not far from the village that was much warmer than the rushing river as the stillness allowed the water to grow tepid under the sun's heat. During the summer months, it was a popular spot for bathing, as very few of the townsfolk had the luxury of a tub like the one Arthur had abandoned in Camelot.

It was a warm day, and Arthur had gone out hunting, leaving Merlin behind. The runaway prince had wanted Merlin to come with him, but Merlin had insisted on staying. One of the women in the village was very pregnant, and the young sorcerer was worried that the birth could be difficult due to the small size of the woman in question, and the fact that the large bulge in her belly appeared to be twins. Arthur had felt slightly uneasy leaving Merlin behind in the town they had only recently settled in, but Merlin had assured him he would be fine, and reminded the prince that if he did not bring back any meat, they would have to eat water-y cabbage soup again. Arthur had ridden out reluctantly; as Merlin took his supplies and headed into the village to assist the women to bring two new lives into the world.

Merlin had been right, the birth was tricky, and it had been a good thing he was there as he was able to provide some relief to the mother, giving her pain relieving draughts Gaius had taught him to make after the babies were delivered. They had almost lost one of the babies as the umbilical cord had been wrapped around his small neck, but Merlin had been able to save it with some of the skills he learned from Gaius and a small amount of clandestine magic. Once the woman and her two new children were sleeping, Merlin returned to their new house to get some new clothes and a towel, needing to wash after the hectic birth.

It was near sundown, so Merlin figured there probably would not be others going for a wash, as the water would have started to cool. He was still slightly nervous about being naked in a public place, especially as there were still slivery scars running across his chest where he had been marked by Uther and Edmund.

Merlin had undressed behind some bushes, leaving his clothes hidden before entering the cool water. He let himself fall backwards, floating on the surface of the still water, letting the worries and fears he constantly carried with him float away. He hoped some day he wouldn't have to fear being persecuted simply for who he was, but he knew that for now he would still have to hide. At least he did not have to hide from Arthur anymore.

As the sky began to darken Merlin realized he should get back home before Arthur started to worry about him. He began to make his way to the bank when he heard a noise from the direction of the town. It seemed some of the local men had been drinking and had wandered down to the lake. Merlin hoped he could climb out to where his clothes were hidden without them noticing, but luck seemed to have abandoned him that night.

Merlin was halfway to the shore when he slipped on a slimy bolder, causing a loud splash and alerting the men of his presence. As he righted himself, he heard them laughing at him and moving to cut off his escape. Knowing there was no use in hiding now, Merlin stood and brought one arm over his chest to conceal the word that had been carved there, while the other snuck downwards to try to protect his modesty.

"Well, if it isn't the newcomer!" One of the men called out, "Why don't you come out here at let us welcome you properly!"

This call was followed by peals of laughter. Merlin wondered if they were drunk enough that he could use magic without having them remember it tomorrow. He decided he probably shouldn't risk it. Using magic could give away their location, and Merlin did not want to move again so quickly. He wanted to watch the twins he had helped deliver grow up, make sure they stayed healthy. Focusing on the two children he had help bring into the world, Merlin tried to be brave and restrain his magic as he faced these men.

"Hello!" Merlin called out, trying to hide the fear in his voice, "Your town is quite lovely, but if we could wait for another time, I really need to be getting back. My friend will worry."

"Aw, come on. Come out and play!" Another drunken man jeered back. The crowd began laughing again.

Merlin joined in the laughter nervously as he attempted to edge past the men without exposing his bare backside. "Sounds like fun, but he really will be upset if I'm not home."

He was so close to getting past them when a well-muscled arm reached out and grabbed the arm that had been hiding the scars on his chest, reveling the word that had been carved into him by the king of Camelot.

"Woah, what happened to you? You're all carved up!" One of the men called out, causing Merlin to blush as he tried to pull away from the large arm holding him in this vulnerable position.

"Let go off me! Please, I need to get back!" Merlin shouted out, his efforts against the large man proving fruitless as he was pulled in for further inspection.

"Wait a minute," one of the more sober men said, "there are letters here! Stanley, you can read right?"  
Merlin was yanked in front of a heavily bearded man that must have been Stanley, who bent close to his chest, his finger tracing the scar as he mumbled "F...R…E...A…K. Fuh-ru-ee-ah-kuh. Freak! Why does it say freak on your chest, boy?"

Merlin was not sure he had ever hated Uther more than he did at this moment. He hated how he could not escape the torment the king had subjected him to. Still struggling to get away he cried out "It's none of your business. Can't you just leave me alone!"

"Someone wanted to warn us about his ways!" the sober man called out. "He's been marked to let the world know to stay away from him! You were with my wife today, weren't you! You didn't do anything to her, infect her with your abnormalities, did you!"

Merlin was scared. He felt incredibly vulnerable, the nakedness definitely wasn't helping. The men who had surrounded him had obviously spent most of their lives working outside, making them much larger than he was. As he was sticking with his decision that using magic would be a bad idea, he stood no chance against these men. All he could hope was that they would stop at verbally assaulting him, or someone would come along and stop them.

"Please, I didn't do anything. I don't want to harm anyone, just let me go." Merlin begged, wishing he could convince the men to see reason.

"I think we need to teach this freak a lesson. He needs to stay away from us. He's forgotten his place, tried to live with normal humans, but we can't let that continue. Come on boys!" The sober one shouted, leading the men in pummeling Merlin.

As he was dropped so the one holding him could get a chance to show his hatred as well, Merlin curled up into a ball, trying to protect his head. He began to scream as loud as he could, shouting out his prince's name, and praying that someone would hear him before these men could cause any serious damage.

Arthur had felt uneasy all day. He hated leaving Merlin alone, but knew his love would never let others suffer when he could help. Sometimes he hated how noble the warlock could be, but that was also why he loved him. Merlin's heart was so big, no matter how much love he gave to Arthur; there was still plenty to go around.

The hunting trip had gone well; at least they would have fresh meat to eat for the first time in what felt like ages. It had taken some time for Arthur to get used to living as a peasant, though he was happier than he had ever been while living in luxury.

When he reached their new cottage, and found it empty, the nervous feeling that had been nagging him all day returned with a vengeance. He left his kill in the house, and, keeping his sword with him, left the house to find his missing love. Hopefully he was still in the village, with the woman he had gone to help.

There was no sign of Merlin in the town. It was beginning to get quite dark, and Arthur could no longer hide his fear. What if someone had found out who he was? Could they have taken Merlin already? He tried to think of all the places Merlin could have gotten to, but came up with nothing. He finally found the house of the woman Merlin had assisted that morning. She was sleeping, the two newborns being cared for by some of the other women of the town. When he asked them about Merlin, he couldn't help but smile as they praised his love, asking him to thank the boy for all he had done that morning. They had not seen him since he had given the woman the pain relieving drought, but one of them thought he had gone to the lake to bathe, as he had gotten quite messy in the process. Arthur thanked them profusely as he left, promising to convey their messages to Merlin.

The young prince felt better. Of course Merlin would be at the lake. Maybe he could sneak up on the sorcerer and they could finish the bath together. He had gotten quite dirty on his hunt. With the thought of having Merlin's hands massaging his muscles in the cool water, he began to jog towards the lake.

His happiness vanished when he heard someone shouting. Fear flooded him. He prayed that it wasn't Merlin, but when he realized the person shouting had called out his name, all hope vanished as he sprinted towards the sound of his love's pain-filled voice.

When Arthur reached the lake, he saw where the screams were coming from. Near the shore, about a quarter of the way around the lake from where he was, a group of men were standing in a circle. He rushed forward, sword drawn, sure that Merlin must be what was currently occupying these men's attention. Arthur pushed two of the men aside to get to the center of the circle. What he found there horrified him.

Merlin was curled in a ball, naked, his body beaten black and blue. He was cradling his head in his arms, trying to protect it from the onslaught of hits coming in at him from all directions. His body was shaking visibly, and there was blood on the ground around him, although Arthur could not tell where it was coming from. As the group who had been partially stunned by the sudden intrusion, moved to resume their abuse, Arthur snapped into action, his warrior's instinct taking over.

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HIM!" The young prince shouted, raising his sword and moving to stand next to Merlin, jerkily twisting about to make sure each of the men knew that the man they had been attacking was defended. As they began to back off, Arthur crouched down, stroking Merlin's head, as he said soothingly, "Merlin, its Arthur. I'm not going to let them hurt you anymore. I'm sorry I didn't get here earlier. Now, I'm going to take you home, are you ready?"

Before Merlin could respond, one of the men interjected, shouting "Why are you helping him? Don't you know what it is? It says so on his chest! He's not normal!"

Arthur fumed as he realized what had happened. These men must have found Merlin while he was bathing, seen the scar on his chest, and decided to attack him because of it. He stood slowly, the only thing keeping him from attacking the men was the knowledge that Merlin needed him right now. Still, he needed to make them understand never to come near his love again.

"None of you could even hope to be half the man Merlin is. Go back into your village, ask your wives, your sisters, they wouldn't have been able to deliver those twins without him. He is continually working to make sure everyone else is happy, before even considering himself. He has suffered more than you can imagine, but it is never enough for cruel people like you. And yet, he does not let any of it corrupt him. He is still good, and he still helps others every chance he gets. Leave, and if I ever see you near Merlin again know that I will not hesitate to kill you."

Seeing the anger in Arthur's eyes, and the sharp sword in his hand, the men turned away, heading back to the tavern they had no doubt come from. As soon as he was sure they were no longer a threat, Arthur turned back to Merlin who was still huddled in a ball, shaking in the dirt. "Merlin, come on, it's time to get home. I'm going to try to pick you up, are you ready?"

"Why did you stop them?" Merlin whispered. Arthur couldn't believe that Merlin had said that.

"What?"

"Why do you still stay with me, Arthur? They were right. Uther was right. I'm just a freak. I don't deserve your love. I should stay away from everyone."

Arthur felt tears roll down his face as he realized how much the words the men had shouted had affected his love. He remembered finding Merlin in the cell under Camelot; the night after Uther had carved the hated word into his chest. It seemed Merlin had slipped back into the depression caused by being labeled as something he most definitely was not. He kneeled next to his love, hoping that he could lift him from this pit of despair.

"Merlin. I love you. I don't want to go anywhere without you. And I wasn't kidding about what I said to those men. All the women you helped today, they couldn't stop praising you. They needed you today. And they are so thankful that you where there. You are the most amazing person I have ever met. You give so much and expect nothing in return. I still can't believe you love me, but every day I praise the gods that you do. Please never let what Uther and Edmund did to you change who you are. You are a perfect, wonderful, loving human being, and nothing anyone says or does could ever stop me from loving you."

Merlin uncurled slightly as he heard these words. Arthur looked into the tear streaked eyes, noticing a small amount of blood trickling out of his mouth. The warrior inside of him wanted to run after those men, and make them feel the pain they had caused Merlin, but he couldn't leave his side. Not now. As Merlin's eyes met Arthur's he asked, "really?" Arthur nodded, keeping his eyes locked on Merlin's. Merlin smiled, and he stretched his hand out to caress his prince's face. "Thank you. I'm sorry I broke down like that. Can we go home now?"

"Of course. Let's go."

Arthur gently lifted Merlin, carrying him carefully back to their small house. He knew that they would not be staying here long. He would not allow them to live so near the men who had caused Merlin such strife.

Arthur lay Merlin down on the cot they had managed to construct in their time here. Merlin groaned slightly as his injured body was moved. Arthur was about to go and get Merlin's medical supplies when a hand shot out and stopped him.

"Arthur, I just wanted to say thank you. And not just for saving me. For everything. You gave up so much to be with me. I love you so much, and nothing could ever stop that. Even if you had never found me, or had gone back to Camelot to be with your family, I would still love you. I can't imagine loving anyone else. I'm sorry that I acted like that. You gave me a way to use my powers for good, and I will stand by you as long as you are willing to let me. Thank you for loving me, my prince."

Arthur bent down, responding to his love with a long kiss. He would have kept kissing the injured boy, but he could taste the blood still on his lips, and knew that would have to wait until he was healed. Arthur got the medicine bag, and began to treat the injuries he saw as Merlin instructed him and assisted with his magic.

They did not remain in Cavalan long after that. Merlin had been reluctant, but he came to understand that Arthur was right, especially as he saw how strictly Arthur guarded him while he was around these people. He couldn't go into the town without Arthur accompanying him, sword drawn, glaring at anyone who dared approach. He knew that Arthur meant well, and in many ways his fear was justified. Merlin still grew nervous each time he recognized one of the men from the lake, but he knew he was safe with Arthur by his side. They only stayed long enough for Merlin to heal and make sure that the twins would not have any more struggles in their first months of life. Arthur couldn't believe how Merlin continued to help the friends and family of those who had attacked him. The woman still loved him, even though the men of the village would glare at them as they entered their houses to care for the sick and injured. When Merlin conceded to Arthur's urgings, they finished packing their belongings and rode out, but only after Merlin left a small charm with the mother of the twins that he had enchanted to protect them from sickness. They rode for days before they found a town they decided would be acceptable, and began to set up a new life there, hoping it would last longer than their time in Cavalan.


	2. Chapter 2: Long Live the Kings

**Second Part! I decided I wanted to post this all at once, so it is all here. I hope you enjoy, this one is a lot less depressing. I think most of the same stuff from last chapter is true here, although there is less naked-ness.**

**Sorry about the awkward introduction of the round table. This fic just needed some Gwaine. **

**Umm, hope this answers any questions anyone had about what happens after The Heart of the Prince. I think I got everyone in there. **

**Also, as this is the last thing I plan on writing on this story, If you have anything you feel got left out or would make a good story that relates to this fic, let me know! If I get inspiration I will try my best to write it! Or, even better, write ideas you have about this universe yourself, then send them to me so I can read them too! I would love to hear what other people have in mind for the prince and warlock!**

**I hope you all enjoyed this, we had a good run. Next thing I will be writing is my silly Gwaine short story!**

Long Live the Kings

Years later, after Arthur had been declared king and Merlin had been named his court sorcerer, everything seemed to have worked out perfectly for the young couple. Although Arthur could not marry Merlin, as the court of Camelot would never allow such a union, they were still together, and did not have to hide that fact from anyone. Most of the citizens of Camelot knew that they were together despite the fact that it was unofficial, and they all loved Merlin just as much as they loved Arthur. Camelot was prospering under the rule of the new king and his warlock.

Lancelot had returned to Camelot with his friend Percival and another man named Gwaine shortly after Arthur had been announced king. The three men, along with Guinevere's brother Elyan, had quickly proven themselves to be adept fighters and good men who all quickly befriended the couple. Arthur would often consult them before talking to the council of elders when he was worried about the people of Camelot.

Morgana and Guinevere had also returned to Camelot when Arthur was crowned king, but Morgana had returned to the druids who had been teaching her how to control her powers shortly after. She promised to be an ambassador to the druids from Camelot now that Arthur was changing the laws about magic. Guinevere had remained in the city, and she and Lancelot were almost constantly together. Gwaine and Percival had begun betting about when Lancelot would propose, although it was clear he would remain ever the gentleman, and never rush Gwen into anything.

After a long and boring meeting with several foreign kings to discuss Arthur's changes in his father's policies, Arthur needed to get out of Camelot. He decided a hunting trip was exactly what he needed. Alerting Merlin, Lancelot, Gwen, Leon, Gwaine, Percival, and Elyan of his plans he was able to relax knowing he would get to spend all of tomorrow in the woods with his closest friends.

The trip had been wonderful. They focused much less on hunting and more on being out of the castle and in each other's company. They were about to head back to the castle when they were attacked by a ragged group of bandits. The bandits had obviously chosen the wrong group to jump, as they were soon scattering under the combined force of six knights, a well-trained serving maid, and a warlock, but the group from Camelot did not manage to escape unscathed. As Merlin had been trying to protect Arthur from a man sneaking up behind him, he had missed the arrow that had lodged itself in his shoulder. He had managed to remain upright for the rest of the fight, but as the bandits retreated he collapsed to the ground and was quickly surrounded by his companions, Arthur settled closest to the wound.

"Merlin, why do you always have to get yourself injured. Just once, could you try focusing on protecting yourself first, then others?" Arthur sighed, as he inspected the wound. It wasn't bad, but he would need to take off Merlin's shirt to get a better access to the wound. As he reached down to pull the shirt off, Merlin's hand shot out to stop his. There was a look of fear in his eyes. A quick glance back to the other's around him told Arthur exactly what he was worried about.

He was afraid of his friends seeing his scars.

"Merlin, I have to take your shirt off to help. It's alright. No one here will think any differently of you when they know."

Lancelot, the only one who knew the full extent of the injuries that were hidden by his shirt gave Merlin an encouraging nod. Leon and Gwen smiled at him, having some idea what he was worried about but not knowing exactly what he was trying to hide. Percival, Gwaine, and Elyan, exchanged a confused look, as none of them had heard the story of Merlin's hardships, but they still tried to look encouraging. They had all grown quite found of the young court sorcerer.

Merlin looked back at Arthur, and nodded slowly. Arthur felt his arm being released, and he went back to removing Merlin's shirt. When the damaged chest was exposed, the five people in the group who had not seen the scars before let out a collective gasp. They remained silent while Arthur removed the arrow and wrapped it in bandages Merlin had packed that morning. It came out smoothly, and Arthur knew that it would heal quickly with help from Merlin's magic. Once the wound was no longer a major issue, he helped Merlin sit up against a tree and he turned back to his friends who had been watching him dress the wound in silence.

"You are all my most trusted friends, but there are some things about how I came into power that you may not know. Merlin stood by me through everything, and because of that he has suffered. These scars are memories of what we had to go through to create this kingdom."

The group did not know how to respond. Eventually, curiosity caused Gwaine to ask "Why would anyone ever want to do that to Merlin? I mean, you're probably the nicest bloke I've ever met, and I have traveled quite a bit. Sorry to pry, but I might have a few new people to beat up if Arthur hasn't dealt with it already."

After glancing down at the sorcerer, who, although he still looked slightly pale, nodded encouragingly at the prince, Arthur began the story. Merlin jumped in a couple of times, but mostly remained silent as Arthur recounted their painful past. The rest of the group remained silent until the story was finished, Arthur telling how his father had spent his final breath condemning Merlin once more. The group sat quietly as Arthur stopped talking and Merlin moved to snuggle into his prince the best he could with his injured arm and planted a kiss on his check, causing Arthur to move his stare from the forest floor to the face of his love. Guinevere was huddled against Lancelot, tear tracks still visible across her beautiful face. The knights all watched the two lovers with a new-found respect. One by one they each took a knee, and made a vow. They had each already sworn to be loyal to Camelot and Arthur, but this time the turned towards Merlin. They promised to protect and serve the warlock who was king in everything but name. They swore allegiance to the couple who had suffered through so much. Merlin could only watch in stunned silence as all his closest friends pledged their loyalty to him. When he recovered from the shock he smiled at all of them and thanked them, promising to cherish their vows and to serve them in whatever ways he could.

As they rode back to the castle, the group knew that there was not one king in Camelot, but two, and that they would lead the kingdom into a new and brighter future.

LONG LIVE THE KINGS!


End file.
